Starscream for the Defense
by DancitronCocktailWaitress
Summary: G1. When Megatron is offlined in his own berth, a Decepticon is accused and faces execution. It falls to Starscream to successfully argue the mech's innocence before a Decepticon court of law. SLASH  mech/mech
1. Prologue

**Author's note**: Hello there. Back again for some Soundscream(?) Starwave(?) frivolity. I've been wanting to write this for awhile, so we'll see how it goes. This takes places a few months after the events in my story "Mechmerized," but you don't have to read that story to follow this one. There won't be any overt sticky/valvesex/plugandplay, but there will be mentions of it. Also this is slash AND G1, so be warned.

* * *

Starscream sat up, rubbed his bleary optics and demanded shrilly: "Repeat that!"

Scavenger's breathless rumble came again, immediately. "I said, our leader, Megatron, has been murdered, Starscream! He is now nothing but twisted, burned, useless scrap!"

The Seeker got to a sitting position and sleepily massaged his cockpit. _When wasn't he that_?

Starscream kept this opinion to himself, however, as his systems tried to recalibrate themselves to cope with his sudden jolt out of recharge. It wasn't every night that a Decepticon burst into his private quarters shouting at the top of his vocalizer. If it had been any other situation, Starscream would have vaporized the mech on the spot. But the announcing of Megatron's death was music to Starscream's audios.

_Megatron's death … wait a moment …_

The impact of Scavenger's words hit him at once and his ruby optics went wide with sudden glee.

"Dead? Megatron is dead? Dead! Then _I_ am the new leader of the Decepticons!"

The Air Commander jumped to his peds and felt the irrepressible need to shake his aft in delight. He held back, however. It wouldn't work to be so giddy in front of a subordinate.

"I am your leader, Scavenger! I command you to gather everyone in the Control Room immediately for their new orders! I also command that you get Megatron's berth ready for my occupancy. Make sure there's no trace of that dissipated old fool. And from now on, I am to be addressed as _Lord _Starscream, supreme ruler of the Decepticon forces!"

"Yes, Lord Starscream," said Scavenger, bowing until his faceplates almost touched the floor. "I'll see to your new quarters. Megatron's remains have been removed for examination by Hook. I'll do as you command, but what about the murderer?"

Starscream barely registered that Scavenger was still speaking. The jet was pawing through his personal items absently, murmuring excitedly to himself.

"Now, by Primus, I know I packed my crown before we left Cybertron, where is – ahah!"

He pulled out the shining circlet and eyed it critically. It was a little tarnished after four million-plus years, but a little polish and it would be as good as new. He was just about to put it on his head to see how it fit when he heard Scavenger discreetly clearing his vocalizer behind him.

"Why are you still here, you imbecile? I've given you an order!"

Scavenger lifted his helm slightly. "You must see to the murderer, Lord Starscream, and dispense justice, as is mandated. He's in the brig being guarded by Mixmaster."

Starscream halted as the Constructicon's meaning became clear to him. "You've _captured _Megatron's killer?"

"He was still in Megatron's private quarters and the weapon he'd used was still smoking in his hands. He used Megatron's own fusion cannon to … to … deactivate him!"

Starscream shook his helm in amazement. "Primus. That took brass manifolds."

Obviously the Autobots had sent someone with quite a lot of brawn, but no brains to match if he was able to offline Megatron in his own berth and not get away with it. It wouldn't have been that fragface Mirage, then. _Probably that rusted-out hulk Ironhide_, thought Starscream with a sneer. Perhaps Optimus Prime had tired of wasting energon on that useless wreck of a mech and offered him a chance to go out in a blaze of glory on a suicide mission.

"Well, if we have him, then he shall be destroyed! We will send his carcass back to Prime – that will show the Autobots what happens to those who trespass on Decepticon domain!"

In truth, Starscream wished he could shake the servo of the mech who'd finally ridden him of Megatron, but that would be bad for morale, and additionally, what better way to inaugurate his new reign than with the offlining of a pain-in-the-aft Autobot?

He smiled triumphantly, but noticed that Scavenger didn't seem eager to carry out his orders. In fact, Scavenger was starting to look a little green around the faceplates.

"Optimus Prime? But he … he has nothing to do with this, Lord Starscream. Our late leader was not attacked by an Autobot. He was deactivated _here _by … by a Decepticon."

The crown fell from Starscream's servos. "He was _what_?"

"It's true, Lord Starscream," said Scavenger. "Hook summoned all of the Constructicons to form Devastator so that we could contain the killer. He was trying to make his escape when Hook found him leaning over Megatron's frame!"

Starscream digested this. Just about every single Decepticon had hated Megatron, though the silver mech had commanded a certain amount of respect from all of his troops.

Well, _almost_ all of them.

Still, Starscream couldn't think of anyone who would actually _kill _Megatron in cold mech fluid in his own berth. This could be quite bad – for him. Whoever it was obviously had no respect for authority.

"Who was it? I will tear the traitor's spark out personally!"

Scavenger's optics glimmered. "The last person any of us would suspect."

"All right, so that lets me completely off the hook. I'm sure some of these idiots will be so disappointed," the Seeker murmured. "Astrotrain? Blitzwing?"

"No."

"One of the Insecticons?"

"No, Lord Starscream. They were on a recon mission during the time that Megatron was killed."

Starscream noticed that Scavenger was shifting around nervously, not able to look him completely in the optics. His spark hammered painfully when he considered the implications.

"Not … not someone in the Command Trine?"

Starscream didn't think Thundercracker had the bolts to do such a thing unprovoked, and he was sure Skywarp didn't have the processor, but stranger things had happened.

"Oh no, Lord Starscream. Not a flier."

Starscream bit his lower lip thoughtfully. The last person any of them would suspect, Scavenger had said. Not a flier, not an Insecticon or Triplechanger, and the Constructicons had been around to form Devastator, so it couldn't have logically been any of them, either. Besides, they worshipped the ground Megatron tread on …

He looked up sharply. Scavenger caught his optics and then quickly looked away. A chill raced up the jet's spinal connections.

_No … no, it can't be_!

"You said the murderer is in the brig now?"

"Yes, my Lord."

Starscream took a huge intake of air, and his optics dimmed slightly. "Then take me to him."

He barely saw Scavenger bow to him and lead him down the corridor. They passed the Control Room and the Command Center and to the interior of the ship where the brig was just a bolt's throw from the medbay.

An odd odor drifted into Starscream's olfactory sensors when he passed medbay and he nearly purged his tanks when he realized it was the scent of charred metal mixed with mech fluid. It was ironic: Megatron's half-afted plans often stank to Primus, and now his destroyed frame did, too. After he'd gotten things sorted out, Starscream resolved to have the entire ship decontaminated.

Scavenger halted at the entrance to the brig and had a quiet conversation with Mixmaster. The gestalt mates looked around at Starscream and after a klik of silence, Mixmaster lowered his helm slightly and moved aside.

"The prisoner has been secured, sir," said Mixmaster crisply. "His frame was dented a little when we apprehended him, but …"

Starscream wasn't listening. Pushing past the two Constructicons, the Seeker entered the hold and gasped. Sitting quietly in a cell behind a forcefield truly was the last mech he would have expected to see there.

"Soundwave …?"


	2. One

Starscream stared. He couldn't help it. The sight threatened to cause a lockup in his CPU, but it was an image he thought he'd never see in his or anyone else's lifetime.

Soundwave, the Decepticon third-in-command. The loyal, humorless fragger. Imprisoned. For the _murder _of a fellow mech. A mech that happened to be _Megatron_.

Starscream put out a servo to steady himself. His processor was whirling like a rust storm back on Cybertron. _I cannot believe this is happening ... how ... why ... and HIM?_

Soundwave, for his part, was sitting quietly, his visor dark. His mouthplate was cracked and Starscream could see extensive denting in the armor plating right above the mech's storage compartment. He imagined that the Communications Officer had to be in pain, but outwardly, he made no movement or noise of any kind. Starscream wondered idly where the mech's younglings were. Unless they were complicit in the crime, he couldn't imagine that they were still with Soundwave …

"Lord Starscream?"

He half-turned to see Scavenger looking at him uneasily. Mixmaster just appeared bored.

"What is it?"

"Do you have orders, sir?" Scavenger's optics flitted briefly to Soundwave. "He's not spoken since we brought him here. We've confined his cassettes to quarters. There's not much else to do except fix the time for execution, and -"

"I _gave _you orders," hissed Starscream, cutting him off. "But since you are so eager for them, here is one more – tell Hook to get his aft in here and bring his tools. _Now_."

Mixmaster and Scavenger exchanged another look. Scavenger shrugged weakly. "As you command, sir." There was a brief pause before Scavenger said: "Hook has been contacted. He'll be here in a nano-klik."

Starscream frowned in confusion before recalling that gestalt teams had internal communications channels just as Trines did. And sure enough, before he could even finish the thought, the Decepticon medic was striding through the entrance to the brig.

"What's going on here?"

"What's going _on _is that Sound … the prisoner is injured," said Starscream darkly. "Repair him at once. It will be useless to question him while he is in this state."

Hook's optic ridges shot up. "_Repair _him? He killed Megatron! He's going to be offlined anyway by the entire army, so what's the point of patching up a few dings and scratches?"

Starscream felt white-hot fire licking up his circuitry, and it took a great deal of self-control to keep from blasting that self-important expression off Hook's faceplates.

"Perhaps the information is still uploading to your CPU, but _I _am now the leader of the Decepticons. I have given you an order. You _will _do as I command or you will be keeping him company in that cell!"

Hook drew back in surprise, narrowing his optics. "As you _wish_," he said sourly. "Scavenger, when Mixmaster disengages the forcefield, cover me –"

"There's no need for that," said Starscream, waving an impatient servo. "If Mixmaster followed proper procedure in securing Soundwave, he will have cut the energon flow to his weapons systems and taken them offline. You'll be in no danger. Besides," continued Starscream with a sudden predatory smile, "_I'll _be here."

Perhaps understandably, Hook looked less than thrilled at that prospect. He didn't look any happier when Mixmaster confirmed that he'd deactivated Soundwave's sonic blasts and ancillary weapons once he'd been apprehended, but Hook dutifully entered the cell and began working on his patient – none too gently, Starscream noticed with a heavy scowl. He decided to keep silent on that point for the moment. His circuits were whirring fitfully and the beginnings of a processor ache was beginning right behind his optic ridges.

"Scavenger, you may now gather everyone in the Control Room," Starscream said quietly, keeping his optics on Hook. "I will be there momentarily. Mixmaster, you're dismissed."

He heard muttered sounds of assent and heard the pedfalls fade off in the distance. Inside the cell, Soundwave was silently submitting to Hook's machinations. He didn't look in the Seeker's direction or give any other indication that he knew he was there.

"Has he lost energon?" asked Starscream idly. "Will he need to refuel for non-weapons functions?"

"Negative," Soundwave droned, startling both Starscream and Hook. It was the first thing he'd said and his vocalizer sounded even more emotionless and empty than usual. "Energon levels: sufficient."

"I would have to agree. He's properly fueled. Besides, anything more would be a waste," Hook said as he welded the cracks in Soundwave's armor back together. "We're running low enough on energon as it is, _leader_."

Starscream decided to let Hook's snarky tone pass without comment while the medic was wielding his microwelder so close to Soundwave's spark chamber. That brought something else to the Seeker's mind, however, and he jammed his hands on his hip plates, glaring at the side of Hook's face.

"What would happen to the Cassetticons if Soundwave were to be deactivated?"

Hook glowered up at him with icy optics. "_When _he is deactivated for treason and fragging a superior officer, the Cassetticons will be destroyed as well, of course."

"Even if they personally had no hand in Megatron's death?"

"It doesn't matter. Without Soundwave, they will not be able to function," said Hook, putting the final touches on his handiwork. "They can exist apart from him for limited periods of time, but if their connection to him is severed permanently, they will eventually wither and rust. Nothing will be able to be done for them."

The Seeker shuddered at the idea of the six mechlings floundering in half-life while their sparks slowly, agonizingly flickered out and went dark. He saw the briefest glow of Soundwave's visor and he knew the dark-blue soldier had to be pondering that dire fate for his sparklings.

"If that's the case, they will be offlined at the same time he is," said Starscream. "There's no use in having them around, especially if they will be no use to us."

Hook looked up with a grudgingly admiring look in his optics and nodded. "A wise decision. I didn't know you had it in you to be so _merciful, _Starscream."

"What you know about me, Hook, could fit into your restrictor cap with room to spare!" The Seeker's optics glowed red hot. "How much longer will you be?"

"I'm done. He's in as good shape as he was when he deactivated Lord Megatron."

Hook disengaged the forcefield and stepped through, reengaging the shields when he was on the other side. "Speaking of, his remains are in medbay. Did you want to see them?"

The Seeker remembered the odor and shook his helm firmly. "He's scrapped. That's all I need to know."

"You're all spark," said Hook with a sarcastic twist of his lips, brushing past him as he left the brig and prepared to join the others in the Control Room.

Starscream watched him go, not turning his helm until he'd seen Hook disappear around a curve in the corridor. Satisfied that the medic was gone and they were alone, Starscream turned to face the prisoner: the erstwhile Communications Officer, Megatron's pet … and a little more improbably, Starscream's frag buddy of a little more than 30 solar cycles.

Even with circumstances as serious as they were, it was difficult not to think about Soundwave's luscious mouth, ludicrously hidden by that slagging battle mask, or the way his glossa swirled delicately around the crown of Starscream's cable, or the way he slid himself inch by inch, with maddeningly deliberate care, into his sensitized valve …

Starscream's cheeks darkened when he noticed Soundwave's visor brighten and glow. The telepath was obviously reading his thoughts, and the jet thought he heard a slight chuckle behind the faceplate.

"This is no laughing matter you fool," Starscream began in a voice trembling with frustration. "What in the name of Primus would drive you to do this?" _And get caught!_

Soundwave did not respond, but the flash of his visor let Starscream know that he'd caught the unspoken part of that sentence.

"Answer me!" The Seeker's voice rose even higher than usual. "_You_, of all mechs, would know the consequences of such an act. You will at least tell me what made you decide to ensure your own doom!"

Soundwave turned his helm slightly toward the Seeker. Starscream could see the spackling Hook had used to repair his faceplates shining wetly and trickling down toward his neck bolting. Far from his usual flawless work, Hook had just slopped the spackling into the wound.

"Reason behind act: Insignificant."

"_Insignificant_?" Starscream could barely believe his audios. "So, what, you did this _just because_? For the sheer Pit of it?" The Seeker's voice dropped as he attempted to parody the blue mech's vocal patterns. "Disposition: Bored. Suggestion: Frag Lord Megatron. Result: Immediate execution by firing squad. Soundwave: Superior."

Soundwave cocked his helm slightly. "Starscream: Needs to lower vocal patterns 1.9 billion additional tetrahertz to approximate vocalizer output of Soundwave."

"Arrrrghhhh, you are impossible!" Starscream offlined his optics briefly. "You and your cassettes are going to be slagged by the entire army! He must have done something – _said_ something for you to do something so drastic."

A small hope surfaced in Starscream's processor. If Megatron had threatened Soundwave and the Communications Officer had been defending himself, then it would be justifiable robocide in the eyes of Cybertronian law. He'd be stripped of rank and status, and likely exiled, but it was better than being dead.

Starscream knew that while Megatron saw the merits of Laserbeak and Ravage's services, he was less thrilled with the antics of the troublemaking twins Frenzy and Rumble. Having grown closer to Soundwave through their sporadic interfacing, Starscream also knew how attached Soundwave was to all of his mechlings. Targeting one of them would earn the wrath of the stoic mech.

"Did Megatron threaten you? Or those infernal sparklings of yours?"

"Negative."

"Did he … try to … coerce you into his berth?" Starscream swallowed thickly. It seemed to him that ever since he and Soundwave had started interfacing, the silver warlord had found reasons to gush praise over his third in command and find excuses to be alone with the mech for long stretches of time.

"Negative."

Starscream hesitated a moment before asking: "Then did he threaten someone else that you lo … uhhh … who is … close to you in some way? And you may … errr … care for? In some form?"

For almost the first time since Starscream had come in, Soundwave moved his helm so that he was looking the Seeker directly in the optics.

"Question: Vague. Specify parameters and elaborate."

The jet almost scoffed. Soundwave really was out of his processor if he thought he was going to actually _ask_ him if he'd killed Megatron because the warlord had threatened to offline the mech he was currently fragging senseless – a certain Air Commander, in other words.

"Negative."

Starscream grit his dentics. It really slagged him off when Soundwave did that.

He sighed softly, though, dismissing the idea. Megatron made a habit of threatening to do everything from tearing his wings off to feeding him to the Sharkticons. It was all for show; everymech knew that, Soundwave most of all. No matter how much Megatron might rage and bluster, he'd never actually offline the tricolored jet. Starscream knew why: he was the finest flier in the fleet and Megatron would be lost without him.

Starscream glared at Soundwave, practically daring the mech to respond to _that_ if he'd been listening in on those thoughts. Either he hadn't been or he realized that it would be better to say nothing, because Soundwave didn't so much as flinch in his direction.

"You had no reason – no reason at all – to do this thing." Starscream rested his aching helm in the palm of one of his servos. "I still can't believe you actually _did_."

He froze when Soundwave lifted his helm and looked at him again, his visor glinting a heated, angry red. The Seeker stared into the visor and immediately felt a sensation like dozens of ant-droids crawling over his wiring. His mouth was suddenly as dry as the sands surrounding the Rust Sea.

"Soundwave … _did_ you kill Megatron?"

The visor glowed even brighter, but Soundwave said nothing.

"Soundwave? Soundwave! I command you to answer me! _Did you kill Megatron_?"

The visor blinked and dimmed. Soundwave's helm sagged to his chestplates and Starscream watched in dismay as he sank slowly onto the spare berth in the cell, folding in on himself like a piece of discarded scrap. The Seeker was a klik away from yelling for Hook when he heard the rattling intakes of the mech's breathing and realized with no small sense of relief that Soundwave had slipped into recharge.

"A Pit of a time for a nap," muttered Starscream, looking down at the dark-blue telepath. His spark ached when he considered how many times over the past 30 solar cycles he'd curled around the well-built mech after an amazing interface and overload, and watched Soundwave in the midst of recharge. He looked almost innocent and serene as he cycled through his energy reserves.

Starscream sadly turned away and gave himself a nano-klik or two to get himself together. Fragbuddy or no, if Soundwave were guilty, he would have to pay the price. There was no other alternative.

At the entrance to the brig, Starscream halted and looked over his shoulder into the cell. He thought he saw the briefest flash of red, but it was gone almost before he could register it. After another klik, he forced himself to keep on walking to the Control Room without looking back. His troops were waiting.


	3. Two

Starscream wanted to shoot something. That would have been bad form as his first "official" act as Decepticon leader, but he couldn't help it. The _last_ thing he'd wanted to see when he got to the Control Room was _that _slagging fragger.

The Seeker looked around at the assembled Decepticons in silent rage, trying to discern just which of the disloyal glitches had contacted _him_.

His soldiers' faceplates told him nothing concrete, so he had no choice but to give it up. He faced the main monitor and gave the mech on the other end of the connection his best snarl.

"My, my, Shockwave. Word travels fast to Cybertron."

The mono-opticed mech blinked at him and gave a snort of derision.

"Faster than you know, Starscream. Before he left Cybertron, mighty Megatron had a tracking device stored in his sensor arrays. That way, if he were ever captured or injured, _I _would know right away where he could be found. The sensor went suddenly offline earlier in the joor. I contacted the base and that is when I found out … found out …" His vocalizer wavered. "I cannot believe Lord Megatron is truly gone!"

"Yes, all of our sparks are breaking here," said Starscream with unfiltered sarcasm. "Now, if you'll excuse me –"

"I'm told you have his killer in custody."

Starscream gripped the edges of the console and fought very hard not to rip the paneling out. He was going to find the loose-lip-plated slaghead who had run his mouthplates to Shockwave and give him a very _thorough _lesson on why his null rays were among the most powerful weapons ever created.

"Soundwave stands accused," snapped Starscream. "He is currently in the brig."

The Seeker watched the laser closely for any outwards signs of surprise. There was a klik of complete stillness before Shockwave said, "Very well," in a strangely subdued tone. Starscream raised an optic ridge but decided not to push it. The connection to Cybertron was notoriously terrible anyway. Shockwave might be crying his optic out and he'd not know it.

Turning his back on the meddlesome "guardian" of Cybertron, Starscream addressed the Decepticon soldiers ranged around the Control Room.

"As you all already know, the mech known as Megatron, former leader of the Decepticon forces, is no more."

Several helms bowed in respect, and Starscream could hear certain mechs murmuring an ancient Cybertronian chant asking Primus to guide the departed mechanism's spark to a place of safe and eternal rest.

"As soon as is practical, his remains will be sent via the space bridge to Kaon," continued Starscream. "He will be interred in the hall of warriors in Kolkular."

It pained him to admit it, but Megatron had been a formidable soldier, and internment there amongst the greatest warriors of the age was his due.

"I am now the leader of the Decepticon forces on Earth _and _on Cybertron." He glanced at Shockwave, who said nothing. "And as my first official act as your supreme commander, I hereby grant field promotion to Thundercracker, who will assume the rank of second in command and the duty of Air Commander."

There was scattered applause amongst the Seekers, and the blue Seeker, looking slightly surprised, dipped his helm slightly in acknowledgment. Skywarp's grin stretched his faceplates, and he thumped his Trine and bondmate soundly on the back.

But the grumbling of some of the other Decepticons drowned out the glee of the Seekers. The Constructicons in particular looked outraged. Starscream understood the reason. Whatever Megatron's flaws had been, he'd understood the politics of having a flier in a high position of power. The Seeker was aware that he probably, in the same vein, should have tapped a grounder to be _his _SIC, but the only grounder in the army fit for that position was currently in the brig scheduled for deactivation.

Starscream held up his servo for silence and waited for his soldiers to settle down before continuing.

"Things will be run quite differently under my direction – we are far superior to the slagging Autobots in every aspect and there is no reason why we cannot destroy them and return to Cybertron victorious! There will be no more useless raids, no wastes of energon on ridiculous plans, no posturing in front of Prime and his fraggers. We will conduct this war the way we were sparked to do – efficiently and without mercy; frag the flesh creatures, frag the Autobots. We will be unstoppable!"

All the fliers cheered at the impassioned speech, even the Triplechangers. The grounders clapped politely or at least tried to look attentive. Starscream felt his spark swell with pride. Finally rid of that useless piece of scrap Megatron, the Decepticons could rise to their full potential. It would be _glorious_.

"Tomorrow, we start fresh with a new regime and new battle plans. We have many busy joors ahead of us, so back to recharge, all of you. That will be all for now."

"Wait." Shockwave's imperious voice crackled over the comm. "Aren't you forgetting something, Starscream?"

Starscream turned around, fixing the lasermech with a haughty smile. "Oh, yes of course. My apologies. You're doing a _fine _job guarding Cybertron, Shockwave. Keep up the _excellent_ work."

Shockwave stiffened visibly, but his voice was calm enough as he said: "I am referring to Soundwave. Have you fixed a date of execution for him?"

The noise in the room immediately ceased. Out of the corner of his optics, Starscream could see the happy smiles slide off Thundercracker and Skywarp's faceplates like energon running downhill. Through their Trine bond, Starscream could feel their apprehension and concern … for _him_.

"I cannot leave my post to attend," said Shockwave, "but I want to be commed in to watch that traitor get his spark torn out!"

There were murmurs around the room again, mostly amongst the grounders. Starscream could tell that much of the sentiment mirrored Shockwave's. He recalled leaving Soundwave there in the brig … that odd sensation of the dark-blue mech looking right _through _him when he'd asked about Megatron …

Starscream bit his lower lip discreetly before looking up at the monitor. "Soundwave and his Cassetticons will be executed at dawn by a Decepticon firing squad for treason and robocide …"

Shockwave leaned closer. "Yes … yes ...? When?"

"_When_, as mandated by Cybetronian law and Decepticon code, an investigation has been conducted and a trial has been held."

There was a beat of utter quiet. And then, pandemonium.

"Trial …? Are you out of your –"

"He slagged Megatron! Where was the justice then? You –"

"A _complete _slaghead! I can't believe –"

"SILENCE!" Starscream roared, and for once, his vocalizer didn't seem to sound as if it were strangling itself. "I am your leader and I have spoken! There will be a trial!"

The Decepticons stared at him, falling into an uneasy quiet. Well, most of them. Optics burning, Hook stood and pointed directly at the Seeker.

"The Pit with this! Soundwave is a traitor and a murderer! I saw it with my own eyes!"

"You _saw_ Soundwave pull the trigger?" asked Starscream with a derisive bark of laughter. "You _saw _him in the instant he unloaded a shot of plasma point-blank into Megatron's chestplates? Why didn't you tell us this earlier, Hook?"

Hook's faceplates went frighteningly purple. "No I didn't see him pull the trigger. He had the fusion cannon in his servos! It was still smoking! Megatron could not have been dead more than a few kliks at the most! He _had _to have done it! He was trying to run off when I found him; that's why I summoned my gestalt team to form Devastator!"

"He might have been running after the _real _murderer and you might have just been in his way!"

"There is no way anyone else could have been in Megatron's berth! I would have seen another mech!"

"The Autobot Mirage has cloaking technology," sneered Starscream. "Would you have seen _him_, too?"

There was another uncomfortable silence. Hook looked to Scrapper, who cleared his vocalizer and said, "I've created an alarm system that scans the ship at precise intervals. It can penetrate cloaked signatures and pinpoint the mech's location."

Starscream's spark hammered painfully. "And this scanner was functional during the time Megatron was deactivated?"

Scrapper paused for a klik, twisting his servos nervously. "Er … no. That is, I haven't actually gotten around to installing it. I was planning to get final approval from Megatron, but …"

The jet almost cackled in glee. "So someone with technology that would enable him to hide in plain sight, such as the Autobot Mirage, could have been in Megatron's berth, offlined him and hidden himself just as Soundwave entered …"

"This is ridiculous! No such thing happened! And you know it!" Hook banged his servos on the table in front of him. "I don't care if Soundwave gives the best cog in the galaxy or how long his cable is – he is a murderer! And if you dare to call yourself our _leader_, you'll get your processor out of your skidplate and dispense proper punishment! We wouldn't even be having this conversation if he weren't one of your _pets_!"

Enraged, Starscream powered up his null rays and aimed them at Hook's helm. "I could always use another pet, Hook! Watch closely as I change you from a mech into my _glitch_!"

"Wait!" Shockwave's voice cut into the fray, just as the Constructicons started to cluster around their mate, and the Seekers stood, optics glinting dangerously. "Starscream … is there a specific reason that you believe Soundwave might not be responsible?"

The room fell quiet again. You could almost hear a diode creak. Without taking his optics off Hook, Starscream spoke in a slow, deliberate tone, his voice tight with disdain.

"I asked Soundwave directly if he'd killed Megatron. He did not answer. Scavenger said he did not say a word when he was tossed into the brig. That means he has made no admission of guilt. Under Cybertronian law and the Decepticon military code, if an officer has not confessed his guilt, then his innocence is presumed."

It seemed like vorns passed between the time Starscream stopped speaking and Shockwave's next statement. But when the lasermech next spoke, he got to the point quickly enough.

"Correct."

Hook gazed at the monitor in open disbelief. "_What_?"

"I said, 'correct.' That is both Cybertronian law and correct Decepticon code," said Shockwave somewhat reluctantly. "If Soundwave has made no confession, then as third in command of the Decepticon forces, he is entitled to a trial to determine his guilt or innocence. We will convene a court-martial immediately."

"We're … we're not on Cybertron!" sputtered Hook. "How in Primus will we be able to hold a trial on this slagheap of a planet?"

"It is easy enough," said Shockwave. "I will serve as prosecutor, as is fitting my rank and station."

Now it was Starscream's turn to frown. "You? But you weren't even here when any of this happened! How do you expect to effectively prosecute this case?"

"Easy enough – I will rely on the ship's logs and interviews with the eyewitnesses, namely Hook and others of the Constructicons. And on that point, as judge, I would suggest Scrapper."

Helms swiveled in the direction of the master engineer, who looked like he'd rather be anywhere else but there.

"Him? Why him?" Hook huffed. "_I'm _the one who actually saw anything!"

"And that is why you cannot be the judge. You are the prosecution's star witness," said Shockwave. "Scrapper leads your team. And he is a grounder like Soundwave, so there can be no thought of … bias."

"Wait a moment!" Starscream drew himself up to his full height, glaring at the monitor. "_I _am the leader of the Decepticons! No one is fit to be judge other than myself!"

"Not under Decepticon military code," said Shockwave in a voice that sounded faintly amused. "As leader, you are responsible for the conduct of all the soldiers under your command. Since Soundwave's innocence is presumed, then he is _still _third in command of this army and one of your soldiers. Therefore, by rights and by Cybertronian law, his defense … falls to _you_, Starscream."

_End Part One_


End file.
